Valve



Jan. 4, 1927. 1 1,613,183

J. D. MAXWELL VALVE Original Filed June 15. 1925 INVENTOR @a1/mw.

Patented Jan. 4, 1927.

UNITE tries.

VALVE.

Application led .Tune 15, 1925, Serial One of the important objects of this invention is to provide a valve for high pressure live steam lines and the like, which will be free of all packing and which will be fully sealed at all times in the open, the closed or any intermediate positions of the valve parts.

Special objects also are to make the valve fully sealed irrespective of the direction of steam flow, to utilize the pressure of the steam or other iiuid as an aid to automatically maintaining a constant seal, to providea simple, practical way of closing the valve 1n case of breakage of the normal valve operating parts and to accomplish the objects mentionedL and others which will hereinafter appear in a thoroughly practical, efhcient, easily assembled and relatively inexpensive structure.

These objects are attained by certain novel features of construction, combinations and relations of parts, including broadly a selfseating seal for t-he operating stem, a double seal for the stem when the valve is open and a constantly sealed auxiliary screw for closing the valve.

In the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification, one particular embodiment of the invention is disclosed but it should be understood that the structure may be varied without departure from the broad spirit and scope of the invention as herein defined and claimed.

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view or the valve showing the valve parts closed and positively secured in such relation.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the auxiliary valve closing screw retracted, the upper valve fully open and the lower valve as just leaving its seat.

The valve illustrated in the present disclosure is of the double type, involving upper and lower valve elements 3, 4, arranged in opposing relation for cooperation with the oppositely facing valve seats 5, 6 in the partition wall 7. These valve seats are shown carried by a fiange bushing 8 seated in a bore in the partition and secured there by a screw flange 9.

The upper valve is shown as rotatably enu gaged on a screw stem 10 between a fixed collar 11 above and a collar 12 below the same, the latter being indicated as secured by a screw 13.

The lower valve is illustrated with a screw seat 14: in the body of the same, receiving No. 37,135. Renewed October 6, 1926.

the screw stem 10 and as having an externally angular shank portion sliding non-rotatably in a correspondingly angular socket 15 provided in the lower bonnet or cap 16. a spring 17 interposed in this socket beneath the valve exerts its force to hold said valve lifted in engagement with its seat.

The screw stem is rotated by an operating stem 18 shown as equipped for the purpose with a hand wheel 19. A constant seal is provided for this operating stem in the illustration by journaling it in a bearing 2O in the upper bonnet 21 and by providing it with a. conical shoulder 22 engaging a correspondingly conical seat 23 at the inner end of such bearing. A sliding coupling is provided between the ends of the operating stem and screw stem consisting in the disclosure of an angular socket 24e in the inner end of the operating stem receiving the correspondingly angular outer end portion 25 of the screw stem. Y

To hold the sealing faces 22, 23 of the operating stem and valve case constantly engaged, said operating stem is shown as yieldingly supported by springs 26 surrounding external studs 27 and engaging'a bridge piece 28 which in turn engages a collar 29 shown as adjustably fixed on the stem by the screw 30. Nuts 81 on the upper screw threaded turned down to reduce the lifting effect of the springs or to take thetension oft the collar 29 while the same is being adjusted on the stem.

With this structure it will be observed that the operating stem is at all times sealed, irrespective of the position of either or both valve elements and, without losing or impairing this seal, is effective at any time for rotating the screw stem'toopen or close the valve. The second figure illustrates how, in the opening movement of the valve, the upper valve element is first lifted away from its seat, by the turning the lower valve element and how kwhen the upper valve element is fully lifted, the further turning movement of the screw stem serves to force the lower valve element downward and away from its seat,

For the purpose 0f doubly sealing the operating stem when the valve is open, the upper fixed or integral collar 11 of the screw stem is shown as formed with a conical face 32 for engagement with a correspondingly conical sealing face 33 on the bonnet. This ends of the studs may be of the screw stern in latter sealing face is shown as carried by a flange 34 removably secured in a socket 35 in the inner wall of the bonnet, said flange having a central bushing 36 'forming a guide and bearing for the angular portion ot the screw stem. lt will be evident that this eX- tra seal becomes effective as soon as the shoulder on the screw stem engages its seat and as Ythese engaging faces provide the thrust shoulders by which the lower valve is forced away from its seat, it will be clear that the lower valve does not become unseated until both seals tor the operating stem have been made eii'ective. The removable character oi the iange member 84e makes it possible to readily substitute a new part it the thrust shoulders should become worn' after long continued operation oi'' the valve.

It the lower valve closing spring 17 should become brolren or lose its tension, or it other parts should get out ot order, the lower valve may be lifted to its seat, in the illustration by a screw 37 threaded in the lower bonnet in position to directly engage said valve. This screw is shown as sealed at all times by an enclosing cap 38 shown as having an angular .socliet 39 slidingly receiving the correspondingly angular outer end d() ot the screw and as having at its inner end, a conical tace il held in sealed engagement with a correspondingly conical tace 42 on the bonnetby a surrounding expansion spring 43. vlor purposes ot easy adjustment this spring is shown as engaged at its outer end by abridge dei slidingly engaged on studs 45 Vand shittable to ditl'erent positions thereon by the nuts a6.

lt will be evident that by turning the nuts i6V the tension at which the adjusting cap 88 is held to its seat may be readily adjusted and it will be evident that by setting up the bridge piece la to the extreme limit, the adjusting cap may be secured in any set relation.

A double seal is also provided for the lower valve closing screw in the present disclosure by a conical Ytace t8 on the inner end portion oie' said screw arranged to engage a correspondingly conical tace 4.-? on the inr .side of the bonnet, this seal becoming effective when said screw is fully retracted as in Figure 2.

Because ot the fact that the valve is sealed at all times, from both sides, it is possible to use this structure in a loop circuit, where the flow through the valve may alternately low in different directions. Also, with the valve tally open, the operating connections both at the top and at the bottom are under double seal. lt the valve closing spring or operating connections should fail at any time, the lower valve may be quickly closed by operating the screw 37, the seal ot such screw being maintained during such ope `ation of the same, vand alter thus closing replacements as necessary be readily made.V

The structure as a whole is readily assembled and disassembled and the parts are all 'oia nature to stand hard usage and heavy service.

The external location of the springs not only makes them more accessible 'for adjustnient or repair purposes but positions them away from the extreme heat so that they are unaiected thereby and do not lose their tension. rlhe valve seats, sealing faces and cooperating valve elements may all be made of Monel metal or the like to stand the high temperature and high pressure and the structure and arrangement et these parts is such that they may be assembled readily.

`What is claimed is:

l. A valve continuously sealed under all conditions irrespective ot' the direction of iiow or pressure thereon, comprising a valve casing having a passage with oppositely facing seats, oppositely operating valves tor cooperation with said seats, a longitudinally traveling screw stem carrying one of said valves and having a screw engagement with the other valve, .said other valve having a non-rotative engagement in the valve casing and slidable toward and from its valve seat, a spring urging said valve toward its seat, an operating stem having a sliding driving engagement with the screw stem, said operating stem and the valve casing having conical .sealing faces and spring means acting on the operating stem to hold said conical sealing faces engaged irrespective of the position of the operating stem, the screw stem or the oppositely operating valves.

2. A valve continuously sealed under all conditions irrespective of the direction of `How or pressure thereon, comprising a valve casing having a passage with oppositely facing seats, oppositely operating valves `tor cooperation with said seats, alongitudinally traveling screw stem carrying one of said valves and having a .screw engagement with the other valve, said other valve having a non-rotative engagement in the valve casing.

and slidable toward and trom'its valve seat, a spring urging said valve toward its seat, an operating stein having a sliding driving engagement with the screw stem, said operating steni and the valve casing having conical sealing faces and spring means acting on the operating stem to hold said conical sealing faces engaged irrespective of the position of the operating stem, 'the screw stem or the oppositely operating valves, the first valve having a freely rotative mounting on the screw stem, said freely rotative valve and the casing having conicalsealing faces engageable when said valve is fully open to afford an eXtra seal for the operating stem.

3. A valve continuously sealed under all conditions irrespective of the direction of flow or pressure thereon, comprising a valve casing having a passage with oppositely facing seats, oppositely operating valves for cooperation with said seats, a longitudinally traveling screw stern carrying one of said valves and having a screw engagement with the other valve, said other valve having a non-rotative engagement in the valve casing and slidable toward and from its valve seat, a spring urging said valve toward its seat, an operating stem having a sliding driving engagement with the screw stem, .said operating stem and the valve casing having conical sealing faces, spring means acting on the operating stem to hold said conical sealing faces engaged irrespective of the position of the operating stem, the .screw stem or the oppositely operating valves, a screw stud mounted in the casing for holding the second valve to its seat independently of the spring provided therefor, a rotative cap having a sliding driving engagement over the end of said screw stud, said cap and valve casing having conical sealing faces and means operating on said cap for holding said cooperating sealing faces engaged in all positions of the screw stud and operating cap.

4. In a valve of the character disclosed, a valve casing having a passage with oppositely facing seats, oppositely operating valves cooperating with said seats, a valve operating stem and constantly operative sealing means for said stem effective in all positions of the stem and valve elements, including cooperating sealing faces on the valve casing and stem engaging in the rotative adjustment of the stem, one of the valve members being carried by a longitudinally traveling stem having a sliding coupling with the operating stein and a screw engagement with the other valve element, the screw stem having a sealing face and the casing having a cooperating sealing face engageable thereby when said stem is unscrewed from said other valve member,

screw means independent'of said screw stem for closing the second valve member and a closed operating member having a sliding coupling with the screw and a constantly sealed engagement with the valve casing.

5. In combination with a casing and a stem projecting thereinto, a cap enclosing the projecting portion of said stem and having a sliding non-rotative connection therewith, whereby said stem will be turned by rotation of the cap, the cap and casing having cooperating conical sealing faces and means engaging the cap to hold said sealing faces in contact.

6. In combination with a casing and a stem projecting thereinto, a cap enclosing the projecting portion of said stem and having a sliding non-rotative connection therewith, whereby said stem will be turned by rotation of the cap, the cap and casing having cooperating conical sealing faces and means engaging the cap to hold said sealing faces in contact, including a bridge piece, a spring interposed between said bridge piece and cap and screw means for advancing the bridge piece.

7. In combination with a casing, a rotatable st-em projecting thereinto, a cap enclosing the outer end of said stem and rotatable with respect to the casing, said cap having a conical inner end and the casing having a corresponding conical seat for such end, said conical end of the cap having an annular shoulder and adjustable means engaging said shoulder to thrust the cap in engagement with the seat.

8. A valve continuously sealed under all conditions irrespective of the direction of flow or pressure thereon, comprising a valve casing having a passage with oppositely facing seats, oppositely operating valves for cooperation with said seats, separate and independent mechanisms for holding the respective valves to their seats and a double pair of conical sealing faces between each of said mechanisms and the valve casing opera.- tive in the open positions of the valves to provide double seals between said independent valve operating mechanisms and the casing.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of June, 1925.

JAMES D. MAXWELL. 

